Lather generator and dispenser



Nov. 30, 1965 MALBE LATHER GENERATOR AND DISPENSER Filed Feb. 5, 1963 IN VEN TOR. BENJAM/N M4455 ATTO'FNEY United States Patent 3,220,954 LATHER GENERATOR AND DISPENSER Benjamin Malbe, 2601 Henry Hudson Parkway, Riverdale, N.Y. Filed Feb. 5, 1963, Ser. No. 256,328 3 Claims. (Cl. 252-359) This invention relates generally to foam generators and dispensers, and more particularly to a dispenser adapted to convert soap into lather and to dispense same.

In order to soften and condition facial beards in preparation for shaving by a razor, it is the common practice to first apply a shaving cream or lather. The use of lather is preferred by many shavers, for in lather the active ingredients are intermingled with air bubbles to provide greater penetrating action on the beard.

conventionally, the shaver makes his own lather by adding warm water to a shaving soap in a mug and agitating the mixture with his brush to develop a froth of soapsuds. The lather is then applied to the face by the brush, the brush being used to collect the lather from the mug. This is a time-consuming operation and in recent years there has come into use aerosol containers in which lather under pressure is dispensed by pressing a release valve. There is no need in this instance to use a brush. Such lather dispensers are relatively expensive, and while they are convenient to use, the lather they produce is in some respects inferior to the self-made type. The lather emitted from such cans is unheated, and hence is not as eifective as lather freshly made with warm water.

Accordingly, it is the main object of this invention to provide a lather dispenser which generates and dispenses a fresh supply of warm lather.

Also an object of the invention is to provide a lather dispenser of the above type which produces lather less expensively than pressurized cans, and which makes it possible for a shaver to form lather from soap ingredients of his own choice.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a lather dispenser wherein soap and water are intermingled to form a foam, which foam is simultaneously propelled to an outlet.

Briefly stated, these objects are accomplished by a mug having a spout adjacent the upper end thereof, the mug being provided with a removable cap having an enclosed chamber mounted therein in which a batteryoperated motor is housed, the rotary shaft of the motor extending through the cap and having two propeller blades thereof, the first of which is disposed adjacent the bottom of the mug, and the other at a higher point below the spout. The first blade acts to agitate a mixture of soap and water contained in the mug, and thereby generate a shaving lather which rises in the mug, whereas the second blade is designed to propel the lather upwardly for ejection through the spout.

For a better understanding of the invention, as well as other objects and further features thereof, reference is made to the following detailed description to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein the elements in the different views are designated by like reference numerals.

In the figures:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the dispenser in acordance with the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section taken through the dispenser.

Referring now to the drawing, the lather dispenser comprises a cylindrical canister or mug having a handle 11 and an outlet or spout 12 adjacent the open end or mouth thereof. The mug is covered by a removable cap 13. Mounted above the cap is a drum-shaped can 14 forming an enclosed chamber therewith within which is housed a small, direct-current motor 15. The motor is energized from a bank of suitable batteries 16, such as penlite batteries, which are connected in series or parallel, depending on the voltage rating of the battery. The batteries are received within sockets (not shown) whereby they may readily be replaced when exhausted. For this purpose, the can is removable from the cap. The operation of the motor is controlled by means of an off-on switch 17 having an actuating button projecting above the top of the can, and which is connected between the voltage source and the motor through suitable wires.

The motor 15 is provided with a rotary shaft 18 which extends downwardly into the mug. Attached to the lower end of the shaft is a propeller blade 19 having a pitch so arranged as to provide a swirling motion creating a fluid pressure in the downward direction, while keyed to the shaft at a higher point thereon, which is below the level of the spout, is a second blade 20 whose pitch is arranged to produce upwardly directed fluid pressure. In operation, the shaver first removes the motorized cap of the mug and places soap flakes therein to which he adds hot water in a desired ratio to provide a lather mixture at the bottom of the mug. The cap is then restored, thereby immersing the lower propeller 19 in the lather mixture. The button of the switch 17 is actuated, causing rotation of both propellers. Propeller 19 stirs the lather mixture at high speed to create soap suds which rise above the mixture to engage the blades of the upper propeller 20, which produce an upward pressure forcing the lather out of the spout in a continuous stream. It will be obvious that while the invention has been described in connection with a soap and water lather, it is also useful for other ingredients, such as cream, or oil and vinegar, to intermingle air with bubble-forming constituents to provide a foam or whipped cream which may be dispensed continuously. It is intended, therefore, in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the purview of the invention. Thus, while an electric motor has been disclosed, in practice a spring-wound device may be used to accomplish the same purpose, and the can surrounding the motor may be used as a rotatable knob for winding the motor.

What is claimed is:

1. A foam generator and dispenser comprising a canister having a spout adjacent the upper end thereof, a cap receivable over the open end of said canister, a motor mounted on said cap and having a rotary shaft extending into said canister, a first downwardly pitched blade on said shaft to agitate a foam-producing liquid in the bottom portion of the canister, by forcing the liquid against the bottom when suitably rotated whereby foam rises in said canister, and a second upwardly pitched blade on said shaft at a higher position thereon to propel said foam upwardly and out of said spout.

2. A foam generator and dispenser comprising a canister having a spout adjacent the upper end thereof, a cap receivable over the open end of said canister, a motor mounted on said cap and having a rotary shaft extending into said canister, a removable cover over said motor received on said cap to form an enclosed chamber, a battery in said chamber to energize said motor, a first downwardly pitched blade on said shaft to agitate a foam-producing liquid in the bottom portion of the canister by forcing the liquid against the bottom when suitably rotated whereby foam rises in said canister, and a second upwardly pitched blade on said shaft at a higher position thereon to propel said foam upwardly and out of said spout.

3. A shaving lather generator and dispenser comprising a canister'having a spout adjacent the upper end thereof, and a handle, a cap receivable over the open end of said canister, a motor mounted on said cap and having a rotary shaft extending into said canister, a removable cover over said motor received on said cap to form an enclosed chamber, a battery in said chamber to energize said motor, a control switch mounted on said cover connected between said motor and battery, a first downwardly pitched blade on said shaft to agitate a lather-producing liquid in the bottom portion of the canister by forcing the liquid against the bottom when suitably rotated whereby lather rises in said canister, and a second upwardly pitched blade on said shaft at a higher position thereon to propel said lather upwardly and out of said spout.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS NORMAN YUDKOFF, Primary-Examiner. 

3. A SHAVING LATHER GENERATOR AND DISPENSER COMPRISING A CANISTER HAVING A SPOUT ADJACENT THE UPPER END THEREOF, AND A HANDLE, A CAP RECEIVABLE OVER THE OPEN END OF SAID CANISTER, A MOTOR MOUNTED ON SAID CAP AND HAVING A ROTARY SHAFT EXTENDING INTO SAID CANISTER, A REMOVABLE COVER OVER SAID MOTOR RECEIVED ON SAID CAP TO FORM AN ENCLOSED CHAMBER, A BATTERY IN SAID CHAMBER TO ENERGIZE SAID MOTOR, A CONTROL SWITCH MOUNTED ON SAID COVER CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID MOTOR AND BATTERY, A FIRST DOWNWARDLY PITCHED BLADE ON SAID SHAFT TO AGITATE A LATHER-PRODUCING LIQUID IN THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE CANISTER BY FORCING THE LIQUID AGAINST THE BOTTOM WHEN SUITABLY ROTATED WHEREBY LATHER RISES IN SAID CANISTER, AND A SECOND UPWARDLY PITCHED BLADE ON SAID SHAFT AT A HIGHER POSITION THEREON TO PROPEL SAID LATHER UPWARDLY AND OUT OF SAID SPOUT. 